Last Daughter of Krypton, part 1: Birth
by Les Bonser
Summary: The one true Supergirl, Kara Zor-El, arrives in the post-Crisis DC Universe.
1. Part 1

# The Last Daughter of Krypton, part 1: Birth

By Les Bonser

This is a work of non-commercial fan fiction. The characters used in this story remain the trademarked property of their respective owners. No trademark infringement is intended and no profits are made by the author for writing or distribution of this work.

No permission is given to anyone other than the author to archive this on any website. No permission is given to anyone other than the author to repost this on any newsgroup.

* * *

## Introduction

Kara Zor-El, Supergirl, died in the "Crisis of Infinite Earths" mini- series in the mid 1980's. Post-Crisis, other characters, like Superman and Wonder Woman, were "rebooted" and brought forward into the new DC Universe. But the powers that be at DC Comics decided that Superman was the one and only Kryptonian. His blonde cousin was not revamped and likewise brought forward.

Eventually, new versions of Supergirl did come about. Matrix, an artificial being created by an alternative Lex Luthor from another universe appeared. Modeled on that universe's Lana Lang, she eventually came to wear the "S." As Supergirl, Matrix bonded with a human woman, Linda Danvers, to save that woman's life. The merged entity, while still Supergirl, has become an Earth angel.

A teenaged Supergirl, Kara In-Zee, appeared in the animated TV series. A resident not of Krypton, but of a sister world called Argos, this version has become popular, but she's still not the original.

The original Kara Zor-El was forever delegated to fond memories of older comic readers.

This story is the first in a series that provides a possible way in which the original Supergirl could be brought into the current post- Crisis, post-Zero Hour, post-Kingdom Come DC world.

* * *

## The Last Daughter of Krypton, part 1: Birth

Kyle Rayner glanced up for a moment. There was no change to any of the numerous monitor screens in front of him. He returned his attention to the drawing tablet he balanced on his knee.

He was a cartoonist. And, he was the superhero called Green Lantern. And right now, he was on the Moon, in the JLA Watchtower on "monitor duty." Most of the rest of his team mates hated monitor duty. Because it was boring. But Kyle actually liked it. The free time and isolation gave him a change to work up new cartoon ideas.

A light began blinking on the monitor board. Kyle dropped the drawing tablet and pencil to the floor and stood in a hurry. He realized immediately that he'd over-reacted. It was just the transporter signal. Someone was beaming up from Earth.

Briefly, he wondered who it might be. There were any number of active and reserve Justice League of America members that had access to the heavily secured transporters. Kyle was in fact one of the few that could arrive here under his own power. Or rather, in his case, the power of his Green Lantern ring.

His inquisitiveness was soon satisfied. Dr. John Henry Irons, also known as Steel, strode out of the transporter tube and into the general meeting area. Kyle turned from the monitor station to greet his fellow Leaguer.

"What's up, Doc?" Kyle said, a grin on his face. Although he enjoyed the quiet time of monitor duty, he did sometimes get lonely. And a little goofy.

Dr. Irons shook his head. It was an old joke. And Kyle and Wally continued to propagate it. John decided to get his revenge. He reached into his jacket pocket, took his cellular phone in hand, and whipped it out. He pointed the cell phone, gun-like, toward the unexpecting Kyle and in his best Elmer Fudd lisp, said, "It's Green Lantern Season!"

The momentary look of terror on Kyle's face was worth the indignity of having to put up with the younger man's torments.

Green Lantern threw up his hands in a mock surrender, "Whoa, Doctor Irons, you scared me for a moment there." Kyle smiled. "At least you've got a sense of humor...unlike a Dark Knight I know."

Dr. Irons walked over to the monitor board and checked out the current status. All the team members were accounted for and there were no situations on Earth or in surrounding space that required their attention. "God bless quiet Sundays," he said.

"Yeah, it's been so quiet here, I was about to go stir crazy. What brings you up today? The next meeting isn't until next weekend."

"Just wanted to go over some of those Thanagarian logic units we pulled from that disabled star ship."

"Sounds like fun," Kyle said, sarcastically. He didn't understand how Irons could stand to tinker with his high tech toys *all* of the time.

Just then, the monitor board lit up. "What's that?" Kyle asked. He and Dr. Irons studied the readings for several seconds.

"I'm not sure. Looks like some sort of small space craft coming out of warp. Out beyond the Oort Cloud," Irons said.

"Oh, great, just what we need, another alien invasion."

"The monitors are only showing a single small craft. About the size of an automobile."

Kyle reached for the JLA signal button. Pressing it would send out an automated signal that would call all the League to their base here on the moon.

John grabbed Kyle's hand before the younger man could press the button. "Wait."

"But..."

"Kyle, it's a single craft. And very small. Let's determine what we're dealing with before we ruin everyone's Sunday afternoon."

"So, what do you suggest?"

"I'll take over monitor duty for you and you fly out for a reconnoiter."

"By myself?"

"You do have the ring, you know. No one else on the team can get out there and back as fast as you."

"Yeah, well, there is that," Kyle agreed.

Several minutes later, Dr. Irons sat at the monitor board as Kyle headed out to the Oort Cloud. "See anything yet?" John asked.

"I'm barely passing Jupiter," Kyle said, relaying his voice through his ring back to the JLA base. "Give me another couple minutes."

John sat tensely, waiting. The chronometer on the monitor board ticked by slowly. Nearly five minutes later, Kyle's voice came back over the speaker. "Hey, ah, John?"

"Yes, Kyle?"

"You might want to give Superman a call."

"Why?" John tensed, wondering what Kyle meant.

"This thing is a big black egg with a star drive on it. Looks like that picture Superman showed us once of the Kryptonian birthing matrix that brought him to Earth. And the ring's deciphered the markings on it. It's definitely Kryptonian writing."

"What's its course?"

"Still headed directly to Earth."

"Follow it in. When you get close to Lunar orbit, we'll see about diverting it here instead. Just in case," Irons said. He then reached out and pressed the button.

* * *

The majority of the current membership of the League assembled in the main hall. Superman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman sat around the meeting table. Dr. Irons had donned his suit of armor and stood at the monitor board as Steel. Batman hadn't yet acknowledged the signal, but they knew that Oracle could contact him if needed. Oracle was on-line via the JLA communications network.

The transporter chimed again, signaling yet another arrival. This time it was the Flash. "What's up this time?" the Scarlet Speedster said as he walked into the main hall.

"Green Lantern's guiding a small space craft in from the fringes of the solar system," Wonder Woman told him. "It could be a Kryptonian birthing chamber."

"How is that possible?" Flash asked. He directed his question to Superman. "I thought you were the only Kryptonian to survive the explosion of the planet?"

"That's what I've always thought," Superman admitted.

Diana of Themyscira, otherwise known as Wonder Woman, watched her friend. The thought of another Kryptonian having possibly survived was almost too much for Clark to consider. It had been nearly 40 years since Clark's own birthing chamber had arrived on Earth. Simply too long for another chamber to have been floating around out in space. More likely, it was a ploy by one of their enemies. "Perhaps it's a decoy?" she suggested. "Maybe Cyborg?"

Superman shrugged. "Possibly."

The group didn't relish having to face the Cyborg. Hank Hanshaw had the ability to bond with any type of technology. He'd usurped Kryptonian technology before and even masqueraded as Superman by manipulating the genetic information contained in Superman's own birthing chamber.

Jon Jonzz, the Martian Manhunter, arrived. He'd flown up from Earth by himself. He didn't particularly like the transporters and since he was one of the group that could handle the flight between Earth and Moon by himself, he often flew directly to the Watchtower. The others quickly brought him up to speed on the situation.

A telepath, Jon reached out with his mind and found Kyle's thoughts. "He's almost here."

"Yes," Steel confirmed from the monitor station. "Green Lantern will direct the craft into one of our hangers. After we repressurize it, we'll be able to freely examine the craft."

"Hey," Kyle's voice came over the speaker. "As soon as I put a bubble around it, it shut down. I'll have it in the hanger in about thirty seconds."

The group reconvened at the entry to the hanger bay. Steel managed the controls. "He's signaling that the external door's closed," the armored scientist said. "We'll have pressurization in the bay in about ten seconds.

And right on cue, the door to the bay slide open and Superman lead the group into the large open room.

Green Lantern had a protective bubble of emerald energy around the craft. Superman could see immediately that it was the same general size and shape as his own Kryptonian birthing chamber. The craft that had brought him to Earth.

"How do we open it?" Flash asked.

Superman motioned for Green Lantern to drop the bubble. As the green energy faded, he slowly and carefully approached the craft. Kyle had set it engine unit down; the black "egg" sat about three feet above the floor. Cautiously, Superman touched the surface of the egg. As if by magic, it began to open.

Dumbfounded, he simply stood there, looking at the contents of the egg.

Wonder Woman walked forward to stand beside him. "Great Hera," she exclaimed. She reached into the opening and pulled out a small baby. The group could see immediately that the naked child was clearly female and had thin wisps of blonde hair. The mighty Amazon cradled the child in her arms. "Someone better get some blankets," she said. "Or towels, or something."

Flash rushed out and was back in the blink of an eye. "Sorry, no diapers on the Moon. Or even baby blankets. These will have to do." He held several large bath towels from the Watchtower's guest quarters in his hands.

Diana held the sleeping baby with one hand and gently wrapped one of the towels around the child. She then wiped the child's face with the corner of the towel. Diana looked up and smiled at the men standing around her. She was as proud as if the child were her own.

Oracle's voice echoed over the communications system that linked the entire Watchtower complex. "It's nice to be involved in something dealing with life instead of constantly fighting and dealing with death and evil."

Jon Jonzz agreed, "Yes. We have done a good thing here today."

Green Lantern walked up to Superman, smiling, "Congratulations, it's a girl!"

* * *

Uncharacteristically, it had been Batman that delivered the supply of diapers, baby formula, clothes, and other items when he'd transported up to join the group a little over an hour later. The arrival of another Kryptonian to Earth was an event significant enough for even Batman to take notice.

Kyle and Wally had snickered when they saw the Dark Knight Detective step out of the transporter tube, the box of diapers and assortment of pink and yellow baby clothes contrasting sharply with the black of his costume. A single glance from Batman silenced them.

Now properly clothed, the girl child was being cradled by Jon Jonzz as the group gathered once more around the meeting table. He was, after all, the only one of the group that had ever been a parent.

"International law is a little thin on this sort of thing," Oracle was saying from the monitor board. "There are no laws that really cover the arrival of a minor child from outer space. Some people might argue that general laws relating to immigration would apply in any given nation that had such laws, but I can't find anything in the legal databases that cover this."

Diana spoke up, "The main point we have to decide is who should take care of the child."

"Agreed," Superman said. "We can deal with legalities later."

The group looked around the table at each other. "It should be someone that can afford to care for a child," Flash said. "Who's got the most money?"

Batman scowled at the speedster. "There are more issues involved than simply money," he said.

"Yes," Diana said. "We need someone that has the time and experience to care for the child. I can take her to Themyscira. My Amazon sisters can care for her."

"Oh, great," Green Lantern said, "Why don't you just drop her off at a convent?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Wonder Woman said.

"A child needs more than a bunch of women around," Green Lantern argued. "A child needs both a mother and a *father*!"

"Yes," Batman said. "A child needs both parents." His voice held a haunting quality.

"Jon, you were a father once, right?" Flash said.

"Yes," the Martian Manhunter said, sadly. "But that was a long time ago. And I wouldn't be able to offer the female aspect..." He cradled the sleeping child as an idea slowly dawned on him. "We need someone that's married, a couple who want children," he said. He looked up and across the table at Superman.

Wonder Woman and Batman both followed Jon's eyes and likewise ended up staring at their spokesman and leader.

"Hey! That's a good idea," Flash said. "Superman's married, right? And who better to raise a Kryptonian child than another Kryptonian!"

Superman sat stunned. The thought of another Kryptonian surviving and coming to Earth after so many years was overwhelming enough. Becoming an instant father was too much; even for a super man.

* * *

Clark Kent, Superman, sat quietly in a private room on the far side of the main meeting room. Such rooms were available for impromptu meetings, personal business, and quiet time. Several of the JLA members hadn't shared their secret identities with the entire team--having private rooms for personal communications was essential.

Clark sat at the desk, facing the computer terminal and video phone. He'd been sitting there for about twenty minutes now. At heart, he'd agreed with Jon's suggestion. No one on Earth was better prepared to raise a Kryptonian child. But the decision wasn't Clark's alone. There was one other person that needed to included in the decision.

Reaching out, he picked up the handset on the phone and dialed a number. Due to the distance between the Earth and the Moon, the call would have to be voice only. And even then, there would be a second and a half delay between speaking and hearing at the other end.

The phone on the other end rang. Once, twice, and finally, a third time. There was a delay, just long enough to be annoying. "Lane here."

"Lois, it's me."

Another delay. "Clark? Is that you? Where are you?"

"I'm with friends," he said. It was the little code Clark and Lois used to say that he was doing JLA business.

"Oh. You'll be home for dinner, right?"

"Yes."

Another delay, longer than usual this time. "What's wrong?" Lois asked. She'd known the man who was now her husband for a number of years. Granted, he'd kept secrets from her for a large part of that time, but she had learned to read his voice.

"Nothing's wrong," Clark said. "Actually, it's good news."

"Doesn't sound like it. Spill it, Smallville."

"Lois, darling...do you remember... that... conversation we had last weekend?"

"Conversation?" she said, "You mean the one about us having kids?"

"Yeah."

"I remember."

"What would you say if I brought a baby home tonight?"

Lois laughed. "That's a good one, Clark." She paused again. This time the tone of her voice changed. "You're serious, aren't you?"

Clark paused for a moment. He thought about it again. It was the right thing to do. "Yes. We found a baby girl. She's...well...she's all alone. And I think we, you and I that is, should raise her. Adopt her."

"You're not telling me everything, are you?" Lois said. There was just something about Clark's voice. He was never this hesitant, not even when he played dumb to cover for his Superman activities.

He thought for a moment about the risk of speaking on an open phone line. The signal between the Moon and Earth was triply encrypted, but somewhere deep within Wayne Enterprises, the signal was decrypted and randomly transferred to a normal telephone line. "She's like *me*," he said. "She's an orphan."

"What do you mean she's like you?" Lois asked. A pause. Clark couldn't tell for sure if it was the time delay or his wife pausing, thinking. She was, after all, a bright woman. "Oh, my god! A child from Kyp...from your homew...you mean from where you're from?"

"Yes," Clark said. "Kyle found the...baby basket. His ring confirmed where it came from."

"Clark, I'm...I don't know what to say."

"It's...she's a little girl. It's hard to explain, but we think she's actually my cousin."

Clark would have to wait to tell Lois that Jon Jonzz and Dr. Irons, with Green Lantern's help, had deciphered the data module in the birthing chamber. The data seemed to indicate that Jor-El, Clark's biological Kryptonian father, had send the chamber into space. Just as he had with Clark's own birthing chamber. The data indicated that the genetic material used was from Jor-El's genetic brother, Zor-El. Kryptonian's didn't exactly have families and brothers in the same sense that humans did. In all likelihood, Jor-El had never even met Zor-El.

Although the Green Lantern Corps no longer existed, at one time, they'd policed the greater part of the universe. And Green Lantern power rings were programmed to understand the majority of languages, even those of planets long dead. In the cosmic scheme, Krypton's destruction barely a half century before was very recent and the ring had no trouble understanding the language. Kyle was able to instruct the ring to read the data module and translate the Kryptonian data into English.

The baby's Kryptonian name would have been Kara. Kara Zor-El.

The team had also deciphered telemetric data from the star drive section attached to the birthing chamber. This second rocket had accidentally passed through a time causality warp. The trip to Earth should have taken a little over nine Earth months. It had been nine months for the baby in the chamber, but for the rest of the universe, it had been nearly forty years.

Lois finally found her voice. "This is all so very sudden. But, if she's family, then you have no choice. We have to adopt her."

"I'm glad you think that way," Clark said. He had been hesitant; he didn't know exactly how Lois would react. They'd had conversations about adopting a child; a normal human child. He didn't know how she'd react to adopting a child from the stars.

"I can't wait to see her," Lois said.

"Lois, Honey, you're going to love her. She's a beautiful baby."

* * *

Superman and Wonder Woman transported back to Earth with the baby. Superman wanted to return home by himself, but Diana wouldn't hear of it.

"I've held a baby before, you know," he told her.

"I know. But I want to be there. Just in case," Diana said. She still was willing to take the child to Themyscira.

They had changed to civilian clothes while still on the Moon. They arrived at the hidden transporter chamber in Metropolis uneventfully. And quickly and quietly went to Clark's townhouse. They arrived well before Lois did.

"Honey, I'm home," Lois said, rushing into the townhouse.

"We're up here," Clark yelled, from their bedroom.

Lois sprinted up the stairs. "I can't wait to see the ...What's she doing here?" Lois said, her voice and attitude changing when she saw Diana sitting on the edge of the bed. Her marital bed.

"Hello, Lois," Diana said. The Amazon stood and moved aside. There, laying on the bed, was the baby girl. She was wrapped in a pink blanket, sleeping soundly, guarded by the two strongest individuals on the Earth.

Lois walked to the other side of the bed where Clark stood and looked down at the small child. "Oh," she said. Tears began to come to her eyes as she reached down and picked the little girl up. Clark rested his hands on his wife's shoulders and looked down at his new family.

Diana smiled. "You don't need me," she said. She wasn't even sure Clark or Lois heard her. They were so enthralled by the new baby. "I'll see myself out," she said quietly, leaving the room. She stopped at the doorway to the Kent's bedroom. She looked back at the child. "Hera bless you, child. And your new parents as well." And she left.

"Clark, she's so tiny," Lois said. "To have flown across space all by herself, I can't imagine it."

"It happened to me too, you remember? But I have a hard time imagining it also."

"We need to think of a name."

"Yes."

Lois turned to look her husband in the face. "'Yes' is all you're going to say?"

Clark shrugged. "What about your side of the family? Maybe name her after your mom? Or your sister?" Lucy Lane and her boyfriend, Ron Tripp, were soon to be parents themselves.

"She's blonde, just like Mae."

"'Matrix' isn't a good name for a baby," Clark said. "And besides, Mae's going by 'Linda' these days."

"I like Linda," Lois said. "Linda Kent," she said to try the sound of the name. "I like it. But something's missing."

"A middle name?"

"How about Linda Leigh Kent?"

Clark laughed. "Same initials as her mother." Although she still wrote and reported under her maiden name, Lois had offically changed her name to Lois Lane Kent.

Lois' breath caught in her chest. "'Mother,'" she said, almost soundlessly.

Clark smiled at his wife. "Yes. Mother."

"That's going to take some getting used to. Isn't it, *Dad*?"

"'Dad,'" Clark said. "I like the sound of that."

"And speaking of which, we need to call your parents and tell them the news," Lois said. "And get some advice. After all, they raised you."

* * *

When Clark wanted to visit the Kent family farm outside Smallville, Kansas, he simply flew there. It was far enough from town, no one ever saw him dropping down out of the sky. And even if they did, he was usually moving too fast for anyone to notice. When he took Lois, they either flew on a commercial flight like everyone else, or he would carry her in his arms.

This time, he carried his wife and she cradled the baby. After spending nearly forty in space, they decided a quick trip to Kansas wouldn't hurt Linda Leigh. Holding them tight, Clark's protective aura shielded Lois and the baby from the cold air.

They had decided to not call Martha and Jonathon, but rather to surprise them in person.

Jonathon Kent was just finishing up his farm work for the day and was walking from the barn to the house when he saw his son drop down out of the sky. It was a sight Jonathon thought he'd never get used to. To him, in his mind's eye, Clark was still a little boy playing in the barnyard.

"Son!" he called out. "Lois!" He walked toward his son and daughter-in- law. "You should have called. I don't know if your mother made enough supper for all of us."

"It was sort of meant as a surprise, Pa."

"Surprise?" Jonathon asked. Then he saw what Lois was carrying. "Good lord! Is that a baby?"

"Yes, Pa," Clark said. "You're a grandfather."

"Oh, dear," the elder Kent said, holding his son's strong arm for support. "But, Lois, you weren't... expecting, were you?"

Lois held the baby so her father-in-law could get a good look and she laughed. "No, Pa Kent, I wasn't pregnant."

Clark said, "Let's go inside. It's a long story." He steered his father toward the house.

Martha Kent was waiting for them inside the house. She's been watching from the kitchen window and already knew the surprise. "I always expected you to bring a baby home someday, Clark," she said.

"Ma?"

"Well, you always were bringing home stray dogs as a kid. And you brought Mae here for us to care for. With all the natural disasters around the world and you being Superman and all, I just figured someday, you'd rescue a child that had lost their family."

Clark hugged his mother. He then lead her over to where Lois stood holding the baby. "Ma, Pa, this is Linda Leigh Kent. We're going to adopt her."

Martha took the baby from Lois. "This brings back memories," she said, cradling the baby. Linda Leigh was awake and looking intently at her new grandmother with bright blue eyes. "You're such a pretty baby," Martha cooed.

"Where did you find her son?" Jonathon asked.

"Same place you found me, Pa. She's from Krypton. The Justice League found her birthing chamber out in space. She was apparently sent here at the same time I was, but her rocket went through some sort of time warp."

"Dear God," Martha said. "We always thought you were the only survivor."

"I know, Ma, I know," Clark said. "As near as we can tell, she's actually my cousin. Her name was supposed to be Kara. She's the last daughter of Krypton."

* * *

The End?

No, a new beginning!

* * *


	2. Part 2

# The Last Daughter of Krypton, part 1: Becoming Parents

By Les Bonser

This is a work of non-commercial fan fiction. The characters used in this story remain the trademarked property of their respective owners. No trademark infringement is intended and no profits are made by the author for writing or distribution of this work.

No permission is given to anyone other than the author to archive this on any website. No permission is given to anyone other than the author to repost this on any newsgroup.

* * *

## Part 2, Becoming Parents

* * *

"Here," Lois said, handing Clark a disposable diaper.

"No," he shook his head. "I can get this."

Clark Kent, Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, sometimes also known as Superman, respected the world over as the preeminent superhero of our age, was struggling with perhaps his greatest challenge: learning to change a diaper.

His mother had insisted that cloth diapers were best. So, here he was, leaning over his newly adopted daughter, Linda Leigh. He lifted her legs up and pulled the diaper out. Again.

He refolded it and lifting the baby's legs, he again placed the diaper under her. He pulled the front through her legs and pinned the diaper together at her hips. "See," he said, "Third time's a charm."

"It was the forth time," Lois said. "And these are easier." She waved the disposal diaper in front of his face.

"Lois, we have to think about the environment, you know."

"Yes, yes, I've heard the story before. Reported on it numerous times, actually."

Clark rechecked the safety pins. Finally, the diaper seemed snug enough. The first couple of times, he'd been so careful not to stick the baby, he'd left the diaper so loose it fell off.

Luckily, he didn't have to worry about sticking himself--otherwise his fingers would have been bloody. Trying so hard to not stick the baby, Clark had driven at least a half dozen of the safety pins into his own thumbs. The bent and dulled pins now laid on the edge of the changing table.

Satisfied that the cloth diaper was in place, he lifted Linda Leigh up.

"Works like a charm," he said, gloating over his success.

His wife just looked at him and handed him the disposal diaper.

"Don't need that," Clark said, smiling.

"Yes, you do." Lois said, looking her husband directly in the eye. She then looked down.

Clark followed Lois' gaze downward. There was a puddle on the carpet. He lifted Linda Leigh further and saw that she'd just wet herself. The diaper wasn't as snug as he'd thought.

Lois reached out for the baby. "I'll do the baby, *you* clean my carpet."

He thought for a split second of pretending to hear some emergency somewhere. He strained his hearing, hoping, just this once, to hear the sound of sirens, or a fire, or a plane crash, anything really--even a cat stuck in a tree. But, for once, Metropolis was quiet.

Letting out a large sigh, Clark turned from the guest room that they'd made into a nursery and went to find the hand-held carpet shampooer.

As he stalked down the hallway, he could hear Lois cooing to the baby. "We showed him, didn't we. That's your first lesson in life, Linda Leigh. Mommy always knows best."

* * *

Wonder Woman soared high over the mid-Atlantic. She was headed for a very specific location. It was far from any shipping lanes. And although many had heard of it, few people in the world knew exactly where this spot was. It was the location of the island nation of Themyscira. Otherwise known in Man's World as "Paradise Island."

And Wonder Woman, Diana of Themyscira, was the heir to the throne of the small, hidden island.

She banked slightly in the wind and found the exact spot she was looking for. It was largely invisible. It was only though her mystical connection to the land of her birth was she even able to sense where it was. Diana dove toward the surface of the water. Scarcely one hundred feet above the white-capped surface, she disappeared from our world and slipped into hers. For Themyscira was hidden behind a veil; it was separate from the rest of Earth. Paradise Island, land of the Amazons, existed in a time and place of its own.

She was now only about twenty feet above the surface of the island. She flew directly to the palace. She was here to see her mother Hippolyta, the Queen of Themyscira.

Actually, "Queen" was the traditional title given to the hereditary female head of a nation. It was a title from Man's World--the rest of Earth outside of Themyscira. Here, Hippolyta was simply the first among many equals.

Diana landed at the main entrance of the palace. Philipus, head of the guard, appeared as if from nowhere to greet her. "Welcome home, daughter of Hippolyta," Philipus said, in a dialect of ancient Greek.

Diana returned the greeting, also in ancient Greek, her native tongue. "Is my mother available?"

"Yes," Philipus said, "Hippolyta is always available for her daughter. If I may ask, what brings you home unannounced?"

"A joyous event," Diana said. "The birth of a girl child."

Philipus nodded her agreement. The birth of a child, especially a girl child, was a joyous thing indeed.

Inside the palace, Diana found her mother in the thorn room. "Daughter!" Hippolyta exclaimed.

"Mother!" The two women exchanged an embrace.

"What brings you home?"

"A female child came to our world today," Diana told her mother. "I came here to make an offering to the patron goddesses in her honor."

"Who is this girl child we honor?"

"My comrades in the Justice League intercepted another rocketship from Krypton. The child is actually Superman's cousin."

The women started to walk to the Temple of Hera to begin the sacrifices.

"But, he came here many years ago...Krypton is dead..." Hippolyta was confused.

"I'm not entirely sure I understand it myself," Diana said. "But apparently this rocketship was sent at the same time as his, but passed through some sort of 'time warp'."

"A baby?"

"Yes. She was born on the moon when I removed her from the birthing matrix." Diana paused, realizing how insane all this must sound to her mother. Themyscira had been isolated from the rest of the world for nearly three thousand years and most of them knew little of modern science.

"And where is this child now?" Hippolyta looked distressed. "Why have you not brought her here for our sisters to raise?"

"I wanted to," Diana admitted. "But since the child is Kryptonian, the group decided the best person to raise her was Superman and his wife."

Hippolyta looked at her daughter, her gaze a mix of apprehension and concern.

"I understand how you feel, Mother. I feel the same way," Diana said.

"A child of that power, she should be here. Where we can oversee her properly..."

"I agree. But I'm the child's 'god mother,'" Diana interrupted, "and will oversee her education in the way of the Amazon warrior."

"Very well," Hippolyta announced.

"Clark and Lois are very capable people," Diana said. "I'm sure she'll be fine."

Before the day was over, Diana and her mother had offered sacrifices to Hera, the Goddess of Marriage and Queen of the ancient Greek gods, Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth and Home, Athena, the Goddess of Knowledge, Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt, Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty, Demeter, the Goddess of Earth and Harvest, Nike, the Goddess of victory, and Hebe, the Goddess of Youth.

The two Amazons asked their patron goddesses to watch over the young Kryptonian girl child. They asked that their sacrifices guarantee the child success in life and in battle.

Diana offered separate sacrifices to Hera asking the goddess to watch over the child's adoptive mother and to Hades, the God of the Underworld, to watch over the child's biological Kryptonian mother's soul.

When the two finally emerged from the Temple, they discovered that their Amazonian sisters had prepared a feast in honor of the baby girl from the stars. Apparently, Philipus had been busy spreading the word. But then, it had always been hard to keep any secrets on such a small island.

Diana smiled at the love and appreciation of her fellow Amazons. Later that night, at the head feast table, she offered the first toast of many.

* * *

Oracle sat at her computer console. It was nearly three in the morning. She removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes. When she put the glasses back on, she saw his reflection in the computer monitor.

"One of these days, you're going to give me heart failure," she said to the shadow hovering over her.

Batman responded, "I doubt it."

"So, what brings you here at this hour?" Barbara Gordon pushed her wheelchair back from the computer and spun around to confront her visitor.

"Just checking in," the shadow said in that deep grave voice.

"You could have done that on the radio," she pointed out. "You want something." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. She knew him almost as well as anyone else.

"How's Batgirl?" He asked, his voice softening slightly. After all, he was talking to a trusted ally, not some street punk.

"She's asleep. Nothing eventful happened on her patrol tonight. Enough with the small talk. What do you want?"

"The Kent's new baby," he said.

"Way ahead of you," Barbara smiled. She rolled her chair over to a side table and handed him a manila folder.

The Dark Knight Detective took the folder and opened it. Inside were masterfully forged documents. A birth certificate for the child, a death certificate for the child's "mother," and adoption papers.

"I already made the changes to the relevant databases," Barbara said. "But I'll need someone to planet these papers. I'd do it myself, but..." she said. She motioned to her own legs. She'd been unable to walk since the Joker shot her several years before.

"I'll do it," Batman stated. "Who's Sarah Black?"

"She's a twenty-three year old woman from North Platte, Nebraska who died in an automobile accident early last week. Her week-old newborn daughter died also."

Batman nodded, his face grim.

"But...now, the baby's listed as having miraculously survived the accident. The mother's also been listed as being a relative of Martha Kent. Her last wishes were that her aunt Martha take care of the child. Due to their advancing age, the Kent's have passed the child to their son, Clark. Clark and Lois will have to sign the papers, of course, before you plant them."

"I'm familiar with the requirements." Batman said. He turned to leave.

"Batman?" Barbara said.

He stopped.

"Bruce...," she said, her voice lower. "Why are you doing this? Why *you*?"

Batman, Bruce Wayne, stopped and considered what Oracle said. She was right. She had numerous operatives that could plant the doctored papers. Why had he insisted?

"Let's just say, it's my present to the Kent's on the birth of their new child." And he left as quietly as he'd arrived.

As Batman moved across the rooftops of Gotham City, he pondered his motivations. He hated lying to Barbara. But he couldn't let anyone know his plans.

He hadn't told Oracle about his research into Kryptonian genetics. He didn't tell her that he knew far more about raising a Kryptonian child than the Kents had thirty-five years ago. But then, they hadn't known at the time that their son was from an alien world.

He knew exactly what nutrients the child would need to flourish--she'd grow up strong and healthy right from the beginning. Unlike the nutritional happenstance that marked Clark's upbringing.

Someday, that child would grow up as strong, or possibly even stronger, than either Clark or Diana.

He had to remain close to the child. He'd play the dotting "uncle" if necessary. She could become a powerful force for good in the world. Or evil.

He was prepared for either eventuality.

* * *

Perry White, Editor in Chief of the Daily Planet, sat at his desk and stared at the computer terminal that occupied a large portion of his desk. He had yet to get used to the new technology. He would have preferred to review the galleys before sending the afternoon edition to print. But now, he was ruining his eyes trying to review it on-screen.

Engrossed in his task, he sensed more than heard someone at the door to his office. Perry looked up from the computer terminal to see his star reporter, Lois Lane, standing at the door.

"Good heavens," Perry exclaimed. "Is that a baby? Don't tell me Lucy had her baby already..."

"No, Perry," Lois beamed, "This is *my* daughter."

Perry stood up, his legs suddenly weak. His blood pressure medicine needed adjustment again--he mentally reminded himself to schedule a doctor appointment later in the afternoon. After the evening edition went to press.

"*Your* daughter?" Perry wondered.

"She's an orphan," Lois explained. "Clark and I are adopting her. Her name is Linda Leigh."

Perry held out his hands. Lois gently transferred the baby to Perry's waiting arms.

Perry's face lit up as he looked into the face of the sleeping baby. "She's a sweetie," Perry said. "Are you and Clark sure about this? Raising a baby is a big responsibility. Trust me, I know."

"She's family, Perry. We have to raise her. Her parents are dead. Who else would do it? We can't just see her shuffled off to foster parents or some orphanage somewhere."

"She's related?" Perry asked.

"Her mother was a second cousin to Clark's mom. No other family to raise her...Martha and Jonathon wanted to, but they're getting older, you know," Lois said. She hoped she got the story right. She and Clark had rehearsed it all morning.

A private messenger had delivered the adoption and other papers first thing this morning. Lois continued to marvel at the capabilities and resources of Clark's "friends."

She didn't like lying, especially to Perry. She was a journalist after all and dedicated to the concept of truth. But, since discovering Clark's secret, she'd also learned that there was sometimes a greater good to be considered.

Lois only had to imagine what would happen is the government got ahold of the baby. Or some ruthless person like Lex Luthor. What sorts of evil would they perpetrate, she wondered. She shuddered whenever she thought of the tiny Kryptonian baby growing up with Lex as a father. It was bad enough that he got his hooks into Matrix. Thankfully, Mae learned the errors of her ways and divorced herself of his influence.

Perry nodded. He understood about family obligations. "I suppose you and Clark will be wanting to take some time off. Get acquainted with becoming parents."

"Uh, yeah, I guess so," Lois said. "We were sort of thinking about both working part time. That way we can take turns staying at home with Linda Leigh."

"Darling, I'm sure we can work something out," Perry said.

"Clark's toying with the idea of working at home full time, concentrating on his novels," Lois said.

"Where is the proud father?" Perry wondered.

Oh, he's in Japan pulling a stranded oil tanker off a reef, Lois thought. "He's out looking for a diaper service," Lois lied. Again.

For not the first time, she wondered how Clark kept all the lies straight. She thought maybe she should get lessons from Batman. He'd been the one that had apparently had developed the cover story for where the baby had come from, Lois thought to herself.

Lois and Perry walked out into the bullpen. Cat Grant was out of the office, but Ron Tripp and Jimmy Olsen were both there. Jimmy immediately grabbed his camera and began getting snapshots of the new mother and daughter.

"That better not be the Planet's film, Olsen," Perry said.

"Uh, no, Chief," Jimmy responded. "The paper uses only digital cameras now, remember? This is my own personal camera."

"Technology," Perry muttered. "Digital this, digital that. What's the world coming to? Next thing you know, there'll be computers in the bathrooms."

The rest rolled their eyes; Perry was on another rant about how the world was changing too fast. They'll all heard it before. Many times.

Ron said, "Boy, Lucy's going to be surprised. Here she's been thinking that she was going to be the first to have a baby."

"Yeah, and she'll be mad at me for stealing her thunder," Lois said.

"She's too busy dealing with swollen ankles and being uncomfortable to be mad," Ron said. Lucy Lane was due to deliver in less than two months. "Have you called your folks?"

"Clark's folks know, but I haven't gotten up the nerve to call mom and dad," Lois admitted. She still remembered her father's behavior at her wedding and his reaction to Lucy's pregnancy.

* * *

Superman flew into the bedroom window faster than the human eye could see. He could hear the phone ringing downstairs--Lois must not be home, he thought.

He grabbed a bathrobe from off the bed and pulled off his cape as he headed downstairs. Clark grabbed the phone in mid-ring. "Hello," he said, tucking the phone under his ear as he slid on the bathrobe over his costume.

"Son, I was beginning to think you weren't home," Jonathon Kent said on the other end.

"Just coming in, Pa," Clark explained.

"How's my new granddaughter?" Jonathon asked.

"She's fine, Pa. Same as she was last night when we were at the farm."

"Where's Lois? I figured if you were out, she'd be home."

"She's not here," Clark said. "She's probably at work."

"She took the baby with her?"

"I'm sure she just wanted to show Linda Leigh off around the paper," Clark said. "Everything's fine, Pa. Everything okay there?"

"Yes, of course, son."

There was something funny about his father's voice. "If you say so, Pa."

"Well, there is something I was wanting to tell you about."

"Oh?" Clark asked. He wondered if his father's heart was bothering him again. Clark had almost lost his father a couple years before from a heart attack.

"Don't give me that tone of voice, son," Jonathon said. "There's nothing wrong. Your mother and I have been thinking about this for some time, actually."

"Thinking about what?"

"Well, you know, we're getting older. We've been talking about this being the last year we'll farm the place here. We're going to retire."

"Pa, you're not selling the farm!" Clark was heartbroken to think that his parents would sell the farm. It was his refuge--the place he recentered himself when the pressures of being Superman became too much.

"No. We're not going to sell the farm," Jonathon reassured his son. "We're keeping the farm; going to leave it to you and Lois and my new granddaughter. No, we're just going to lease it out the fields. And your mother and I will still live here. Well, most of the time. We might do some traveling. Never did have a decent honeymoon. I thought I might treat Martha to a second honeymoon. Maybe go to Hawaii or something."

"Ma'd like that," Clark said.

"And it'd give us time to come visit you in Metropolis. You might need some help with the baby."

"I think we can handle it, Pa."

"I'm sure you and Lois will make good parents, Clark. But there'll be times when you need time to yourself. Martha and I can babysit."

"We'd like that."

"And God only knows when you'll both be running off on some story or something." Jonathon emphasized the word "something." "You can't just do that and leave the baby alone."

Clark knew what his father meant; it meant he couldn't just rush off as Superman and leave the baby alone. He knew there would be times when Lois wouldn't be around and he'd have to determine which was more important, the fate of the world or the well-being of his daughter.

He and Lois had already discussed hiring a nanny, but had pretty much dismissed it. There would be too many questions to answer. It would mean taking one more person into their confidence, one more person knowing Clark's secret.

"We've been thinking about that," Clark said. "We're thinking about both just working part-time. Take turns being home with the baby. And I'll have to juggle my schedule."

"I'm sure you'll do what's best," the elder Kent told his son. Changing the tone of the conversation, he said, "You just make sure to get lot's of pictures of my granddaughter."

"Don't worry, Pa. If Lois is at the Planet, I'm sure Jimmy is getting lots of pictures," he laughed.

* * *

End


	3. Part 5 (3 and 4 don't exist)

# The Last Daughter of Krypton, part 5: Birthday Party

By Les Bonser

This is a work of non-commercial fan fiction. The characters used in this story remain the trademarked property of their respective owners. No trademark infringement is intended and no profits are made by the author for writing or distribution of this work.

No permission is given to anyone other than the author to archive this on any website. No permission is given to anyone other than the author to repost this on any newsgroup.

* * *

Note: this series is being written out of order. I skipped over Parts 2 through 4, but will go back and write them soon.

Credit must be given to Syl for her wonderful depictions of Bruce and Dick's early relationship, and introduction of Elinore into the Bat-mythos. And a special thanks to my best friend Larry and his daughter Lauren. A Saturday afternoon lunch and movie with six-year-old Lauren helped me come up with the idea for this story.

* * *

## Part 5, Birthday Party

Linda Leigh Kent sat fidgeting in the tiny backseat of her mother's sports car. Teddy, her stuffed teddy bear, was on her lap. She never went anywhere without Teddy. Her parents would have preferred to have taken the minivan, but Linda Leigh wanted to take the sports car. It was her favorite and since today was her fifth birthday, her mother had relented.

She was fidgeting not become the seat was so small and she was cramped into the back of the car. Linda Leigh was fidgeting because they were on their way to her birthday party at Big Belly Burger.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Sweetie?" Clark Kent, Linda Leigh's father, was sitting on the passenger side of the front seat. On his lap rested a brightly wrapped square box.

"Is Janie going to my party?" Janie was Linda Leigh's best friend. The two had met in daycare and were soon to start school together.

"She'll be there," Lois said.

"Yes, Sweetie," Clark said. "Her mom said she'd be there."

"Good."

Lois glanced at her husband. "Everything's arranged, right?"

Clark nodded. The present on his lap was only part of what they'd gotten their daughter.

"It's a shame Lucy and Ron couldn't make it," Lois said. Lucy was her younger sister. Ron Tripp was her husband. Their oldest was just a couple months younger than Linda Leigh.

"You know she can't travel," Clark said. Lucy Lane Tripp was pregnant with her third child. Minor complications prevented Lucy from flying down from Boston. Ron was a reporter, just like Clark and Lois. He had started out at the Daily Planet, but had since moved on to the Boston Globe.

"Yeah, I know," Lois said. "But we don't see them that often anymore."

"Diana said she'd be there. And Bruce, of course."

"You and your friends," Lois mumbled.

"Granma and Granpa going to be there?" Linda Leigh asked from the backseat.

"No, Honey," Lois said.

"Why not?"

Clark turned around in his seat and leaned back to explain to his daughter. "Grandpa Kent is busy working on the farm. Remember how I told you how much work it is to run a farm?"

Linda Leigh nodded. Her blonde hair was pulled back into twin pig tails on either side of her head. As she nodded, her pig tails bounced.

"Well, summer is the busiest time for the farm," Clark said. "Grandma and Grandpa couldn't make it. But I think they sent you a present."

"They did?"

"We'll see when we get to Big Belly Burger."

"Oh, boy!" Linda Leigh's smile went from ear to ear. And it showed off her missing front tooth.

* * *

"Are you sure this is the place?"

"Yes, Master Bruce, I'm sure. The invitation was quite specific," Alfred said.

Bruce Wayne sat back in the rear seat of the Rolls and tucked the papers he'd been reviewing into his briefcase. He sighed. Of all the ways to spend a Saturday afternoon, spending it at a Big Belly Burger full of five-year olds wasn't at the top of the list.

Alfred pulled the Rolls into a parking space and then got out of the car. He opened the rear door for his employer. "Come along, Master Bruce. You don't want to disappoint Miss Linda Leigh."

Bruce stepped from the car, holding a small wrapped package. "No. We can't disappoint my niece."

Every since the JLA had discovered and retrieved the Kryptonian birthing chamber containing the infant now known as Linda Leigh Kent, Bruce Wayne had played the roll of "uncle." Others in the JLA played similar rolls. In addition to names like Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, and the Flash, the men now had titles of "Uncle" Jon, "Uncle" Kyle, and "Uncle" Wally. Likewise Wonder Woman and Oracle were now "Aunt" Diana and "Aunt" Barbara.

The Kents had adopted the child and made sure that her extended family participated in the child's upbringing.

At first, Bruce had told himself that any child that would mature into a woman with Superman's powers had to be watched carefully. But over time, the child had grown on him. Although he wouldn't admit it to anyone, he was actually looking forward to attending these family functions.

But this once, he would have preferred anyplace but a Big Belly Burger.

Alfred closed the door of the Rolls behind Bruce and secured the vehicle with a remote control. Then, the two men walked, somewhat hesitantly, into the popular burger chain.

The Kents were already here. As was Diana. Bruce had to admit, Clark and Lois fit into this scene of urban family bliss. Or chaos, depending upon your point of view. Clark was in the play area, surrounded by at least a dozen five-year olds. He balanced a tray of Big Belly Kid Meals with one hand and tried to hand out the meals to each of the guests as the kids jostled for position around the party table. Lois was at the counter, ordering a myriad of soft drinks.

Neither Clark nor Lois seemed to notice Bruce and Alfred's arrival, but Diana did. She strode across the restaurant to greet them. "Bruce," she smiled. "Alfred, so good to see you again." She took both men by their hands and lead them into the play area.

"Linda Leigh," she announced in her commanding Amazon voice. "Your Uncle Bruce is here."

"Unkie Bruce," the girl of honor yelled. She pulled away from her friends and ran across the playroom and into Bruce's arms. As she ran across the room, Bruce handed the present to Alfred. He picked her up and hoisted her high above his head.

"How's the birthday girl?" he asked, trying to make his voice as cheerful as possible.

"I'm fine," Linda Leigh said. "Did you bring me a present?"

Bruce laughed. Children were so outgoing and honest, he thought. They went right to the heart of the matter. He put the child down and knelt beside her. Alfred handed him the present. "I think this might be for you," he whispered, handing her the small box.

"It is?" she asked, suddenly shy.

"Well, let me see," he said. He took her little hands into his large ones and turned the present over. On the top was a small label. "What's this say?" he asked.

Linda Leigh looked at the writing. "That's my name," she said. "Linda Leigh."

"That's right, Honey. I guess that means this is for you."

"Thank you, Unkie Bruce," she said. She leaned over and gave him a brief kiss on the cheek.

"You're welcome," he said. He stood as the child hurried back to the party table and her friends. She laid the present beside the rest and turned her attention back to a handful of french fries.

Clark had handed out all the food and backed away from the table. He saw Bruce. "Bruce, thanks for coming," he said.

Bruce walked forward and shook Clark's hand. "It's nothing."

"I know how you hate to leave Gotham," Clark said, a twinkle in his eye.

"Hi, Bruce," Lois said, balancing a tray of paper cups of soda. She handed the tray to her husband and gave Bruce a kiss on the cheek, just as her daughter had.

"Lois," Bruce said. He started to say how good she was looking, how motherhood seemed to agree with her, when she bolted away.

"Linda Leigh Kent," Lois said, her voice sharp. "You learn to share, young lady."

Bruce hadn't seen what transgression the child had committed, but Lois had. He turned to Diana. The Amazon princess smiled. He stepped back to where Diana stood. "They seem to be taking to this parenting thing," he said.

"Yes," Diana agreed.

Alfred returned. Bruce hadn't even seen him leave. He was carrying a tray with three burgers, three fries, and three drinks. "Master Bruce, Miss Diana," he said. He motioned to an empty table a little away from the kids. Bruce motioned for Diana to join them. She sat and the two men joined her.

The three watched in amazement as Clark continued to fight the bedlam that was a young child's birthday party.

Alfred took a bite from his Big Belly Burger and chewed thoughtfully. Bruce hadn't touched his food yet; he just sat there, watching the children.

Swallowing, Alfred said, "Master Bruce, I think the answer is 'Yes'."

"Huh?" Bruce said. "What was that?"

"I said, I think the answer to the question you're pondering is 'Yes'."

"And what question would that be?" Bruce asked.

"You were wondering if it was ever possible that you were that young and carefree," Alfred said. "And I can say, yes, you were."

"Actually," Bruce admitted, "I was thinking about Dick. About when he first came to live with us. Remember that stuffed elephant he had?" He had been watching Linda Leigh with her teddy bear. She had been pretending to feed the stuffed bear some of her french fries.

"Yes," Alfred said. He did indeed remember the stuffed elephant. The stuffed toy, Elinore, had been Master Dick's constant companion for the first year he'd lived at Wayne Manor. The year after his parents had been killed.

"But you're right," Bruce said, finally unwrapping his own burger. "Sometimes I do wonder if I was ever a child."

Diana smiled a wicked little smile. "I'll bet you were a cute little boy," she said. "Wasn't he?" she asked Alfred.

"Oh, yes, ma'am, he was," Alfred agreed in that dry British fashion.

* * *

After the kids had eaten and played, Big Belly Burger himself came out and brought a large birthday cake. The cake was chocolate with white icing and it read "Happy Birthday, Linda Leigh" on top and had five candles.

It wasn't actually Big Belly himself, only an employee suited up in the mascot's costume. But the kids didn't know any different. Or care. As far as Linda Leigh and her friends were concerned, it *was* Big Belly himself and they all thought it was about the best thing that had ever happened in their young lives.

Clark stood behind his daughter and helped her blow out the candles after Lois lit them. "Make a wish, Honey," Lois said.

Linda Leigh puffed up her cheeks as big as she get them and blew as hard as she could. Clark only had to help her a little on that one last candle.

* * *

None of the adults saw what started the fight. But they waded in to separate the kids. Each kid was pulled aside by their respective parent or parents. At the center of it was Linda Leigh.

"Why were you fighting?" Lois asked, sternly. She sat down to look her daughter in the face.

Linda Leigh started crying at the sound of her mother's voice. She looked up at Clark. "Daddy," she cried, "Billy said his daddy could beat you up. That's not true, is it?"

Billy was one of the little boys that went to day care with Linda Leigh. They'd had problems with Billy bullying the other kids before. Although Clark and Lois had spoken with his parents, apparently it hadn't done any good. Clark had to laugh inwardly at the thought of Billy's dad beating him up. If only Billy knew, he thought to himself.

Clark knelt down and comforted his daughter. "Honey, it's not right to fight, is it?"

Linda Leigh shook her head.

"Well, you just forget what Billy said. Okay?"

"Okay." The tears were clearing up. Linda Leigh sniffled a couple times and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. In another moment, all was forgotten and she rejoined her friends on the play slide.

"What was that all about?" Diana asked as Lois and Clark came over.

"Some little boy was picking on her," Lois said.

"He said his dad could beat me up," Clark added.

"That little runt?" Lois said. "He'd have trouble punching himself out of a paper bag." Billy's father was short, thin, and somewhat older than the other parents.

"Beat *you* up?" Diana asked, about to bust out laughing.

"It's something kids say," Clark said, fighting back his own grin. He looked around. Both Diana and Lois were hiding their laughs and even Bruce and Alfred had smiles on their normally solemn faces.

* * *

When it came time to open presents, Linda Leigh opened the square box from her parents first. It turned out to be a bike helmet. The child was puzzled by this for a moment and then caught her father bringing a bike into the play area out of the corner of her eye.

"Daddy! It's the greatest!" she squealed. Linda Leigh ran over and launched herself into his arms.

Clark had brought the bike with training wheels to the restaurant earlier. The staff had hidden it in back until now. Several of the staff stood outside the play area, smiling through the window as they watched the child enjoy the present.

Linda Leigh was so excited about the new bike, she almost forgot the rest of the presents.

One of the last presents to be opened was the small box from Uncle Bruce. It was one of the last only because it was small and had slid down between the larger ones. Linda Leigh's eyes bulged out when she saw what was inside the box. The other children were just as impressed. It was a full set of the latest edition Pokemon cards. Not just any set of cards, they were an original Japanese set.

The entire group of kids dug into the desk of cards and began comparing them all.

"Bruce, you shouldn't have," Lois scolded.

"I was in Japan last week on business," he said. "One of the executives at Wayne Tech-Tokyo has two children. When I mentioned that I had to buy a present for a five-year-old, he helped me find them."

"Those things are worth more than some people make in a year," Lois said.

"Actually, as I understand it, the Pokemon craze is pretty much over. They really weren't that expensive. No more than that bike," Bruce argued.

The final gift to be opened was the one from Diana. It turned out to be a Wonder Girl tee-shirt. It had Diana's own stylized twin "W" symbol superimposed with a scribbled "Girl" underneath.

Lois' disapproval over Bruce's gift was replaced by her consternation over Diana's. Lois gave both her husband and the Amazon princess a dirty look when she saw the tee-shirt. But her anger quickly dissolved when she saw how much her daughter enjoyed the garment. "Look, Mommy, I'm Wonda Girl!" Linda Leigh announced. "She's my favorite!"

* * *

As the party wound down, Bruce was sitting by himself at a table. Linda Leigh came over to him, very solemnly for a five-year old. She was wearing the tee-shirt Diana had gotten her. Somehow in the last hour, she'd changed clothes.

"Thank you for the Pokemon cards, Unkie Bruce," she said.

"You're welcome," he said.

The child stood there, holding her teddy bear, watching the man. She held the bear up. "This is Teddy. He's my best friend," she said.

"Yes," Bruce agreed. He'd been at her first birthday party. He had been there when she'd received the toy from her Uncle Ron. Now, four years later, the bear was in bad shape. It was missing one ear entirely, and the other was almost worn away. One eye was loose and the other was lopsided, obviously having been reattached numerous times.

"I want you to have him," Linda Leigh said. She thrust the bear into Bruce's face.

Bruce took the teddy bear from her. "I can't take this," he said. "He's your toy, not mine."

"I'm a big girl now," she stood as tall as she could muster. "I'm five," she announced, holding up her hand. At first, out of a year's habit, she only held up four fingers, but then remembered to untuck her thumb to make five. "Big girls don't need teddy bears." She was as solemn and dead serious as he ever was.

"You'll miss him if you give him away," Bruce told her.

"I know," she said. "But you need him more than I do."

"I do?" Bruce asked, puzzled. "Why?"

"Because you're lonely. With Teddy, you'll never be lonely." Linda Leigh turned and ran off before Bruce could say anything further or give her back the bear.

* * *

Bruce and Alfred walked into the mansion. "I say, Master Bruce, what is this?" Alfred asked.

"Linda Leigh gave me her bear," Bruce said.

"She's had that stuffed bear for her entire life," Alfred noted. "Why would she ever part with it?"

"She said I needed it more than she did."

"I say." Alfred arched his eyebrows as he watched Bruce walk off into the den. The elder man thought to himself that he'd make an afternoon trip back into Metropolis tomorrow to return the toy. Surely after the excitement of the birthday party subsided, the child would remember and miss her cherished toy.

Alfred went about his business around the mansion and lost track of what Bruce was doing.

Late that night, the butler went into the den and was surprised to find Bruce there. Bruce was sitting in the reading chair in front of the fireplace. He sat with the teddy bear on his lap and just stared at the portrait of his parents over the fireplace.

"Master Bruce?" Alfred asked. "I didn't realize you were here. I had assumed you were out for the night."

"Gotham can get by without me for one night," Bruce said. "Redbird and Nightwing and Batgirl can handle things." He voice was quiet and full of melancholy.

"Yes, Master Dick and Master Timothy are quite capable. As is Miss Cassandra," Alfred agreed. He moved closer to his employer. His friend. "Is there anything I can get you?"

"No, Alfred, I'm fine."

"Forgive me for intruding, Master Bruce," Alfred said, "But it's not like you to just sit here."

"I'm just thinking," Bruce said. "Thinking about my parents, thinking about Dick and Kory and little Mari. Thinking about what might have been. What *should* have been."

Mari was Dick and Kory's little girl. She was only two years old and the closest thing Bruce had to a granddaughter.

He'd never taken time for himself to marry and father children. Dick was the closest thing he had to any kind of offspring. There were other "children"; young people he'd mentored over the years, Barbara, Tim, Cassandra, but no actual heirs. No actual flesh and blood Wayne children. Not that marriage was necessarily required. And even then, he hadn't been serious about a woman at all since that last time with Talia.

Alfred tidied the magazines on the reading desk in an effort to look like he needed to be here. It was uncharacteristic for Bruce to be so talkative, especially about such personal topics.

"Really, Alfred, I'm fine. Better than I've ever been, in fact." Bruce stood, still holding the stuffed bear. "Good night."

"Good night, sir," Alfred said, still puzzled and concerned for his friend's strange behavior.

* * *

"Well, she's finally asleep," Lois said, walking into the bedroom. Clark was already there. She hugged her husband.

Clark returned the hug. "It was a big day," he said.

"Yes," Lois agreed. "Did you happen to see what happened to Teddy?"

"No," Clark said.

"She didn't have the bear when she went to bed. She was so tired and still excited from the party, she probably didn't even know it was missing."

"I'm sure it'll turn up," Clark said. "I'll look for it first thing tomorrow."

"It's probably in the car," Lois said. "Are you going out?"

"Yes," Clark said, as he removed his shirt. He had spent a lot less time as Superman lately. They still hadn't told Linda Leigh about her father's other "job." It would have to remain a secret until she was old enough to keep it a secret.

He quickly donned the blue and red costume and after a quick kiss, was gone. He flew out the bedroom window so fast, no one would have noticed.

Lois, tired from the day herself, prepared for bed. She knew from long experience that Clark would return in a couple of hours and sometime in the night she'd roll over and into his arms.

* * *

Having to use the bathroom repeatedly in the middle of the night was the curse of growing older. Alfred awoke and slipped into his bathrobe. He walked quietly to the bathroom. As he passed Bruce's bedroom, he gently pushed the door open and looked in. Bruce was asleep. The stuffed teddy bear was on the pillow beside him.

And for the first time since he'd lost his parents, he was sleeping soundly. Alfred remembered all too many nights since that fateful evening. Bruce would thrash about in his sleep, victim to nightmares. But tonight, he was sleeping soundly.

Alfred slowly pulled the door shut and continued down the hall. He marveled over the change in his friend's manner. And all it took was the unconditional love and concern of a five-year old child.

End

* * *


	4. Part xx (far in the future...)

# The Last Daughter of Krypton: Saying Goodbye

By Les Bonser

This is a work of non-commercial fan fiction. The characters used in this story remain the trademarked property of their respective owners. No trademark infringement is intended and no profits are made by the author for writing or distribution of this work.

No permission is given to anyone other than the author to archive this on any website. No permission is given to anyone other than the author to repost this on any newsgroup.

The poem, "Rainbow Bridge," is attributed to an unknown author.

* * *

Note: The numbered parts of this series cover the time between Linda Leigh's birth and the time she becomes Supergirl. At the time I'm writing this, parts 1, 2, and 5 have been written and posted. Unnumbered parts, like this one, deal with specific stories occurring after Linda Leigh assumes the mantle of the "S." This is one such story from a time far distant from today.

* * *

## Saying Goodbye

The woman floated in space, waiting. She was helping with the construction of the newest Earth-orbit station. The latest section of the station was being lifted out of the cargo bay of the Mark IV shuttle.

The woman waited. When the robot arm moved the section clear of the cargo bay, she'd take it and move it the 100 meters across space to where the half-finished station orbited.

The tiny speaker embedded in her right ear canal vibrated. She sensed the vibration and her mind translated it into a voice. "We're clear of the cargo bay," the voice said.

The woman took a breath of air from the portable tank she wore strapped to her waist. A tube ran from the tank, around her waist, and up to her face. "I've got it," she said.

The air instantly condensed into microscopic crystals as she spoke. As the section moved toward her, the sun suddenly became visible. The crystals sparkled in the sunlight.

She moved behind the section and begin, very carefully, very slowly, to move it. It didn't take much. Here in the microgravity of high Earth orbit, the massive section didn't require much to get it moving.

"Way to go, Supergirl," she heard through her earpiece. Linda Leigh Kent, known for over forty years as "Supergirl," smiled behind the air mask. All these years, she thought, and I still get a thrill when people appreciate my efforts.

Another voice. "We register Section 15 at 2 meters per second. Nominal path." That was Orbit Control. Actually, it was a woman sitting on Earth Station Delta nearly 20,000 miles away. The crew of Orbit Control was monitoring the transfer.

Supergirl had almost single-handedly constructed four of these stations, and they still insisted in micromanaging. She would have shook her head in disbelief, but even that tiny motion would throw the trajectory of the section off.

She took another breath and said, "Roger Orbit Control."

Supergirl didn't need the air to breathe, but sound required a medium to carry it to the microphone in her facemask. Given her choice, she'd have carried the sections up from Earth herself and done all this work in complete silence.

Less than ten minutes later, Supergirl passed the section off to the small crew manning the construction cranes, robotic arms really, temporarily installed on the station's infrastructure.

"Earth Station Gamma here. We have the section."

"Roger Gamma," Orbit Control said.

"Roger Gamma," Supergirl echoed, after taking another breath. "If you don't need me, I'll be leaving now," she said.

"Roger that, Supergirl. Thanks for the assist."

"You're welcome," Supergirl said. She took one last look at the partially finished station and turned.

She drifted away from the station and the now distant shuttle. She enjoyed the peace and quiet up here. Sure, she could go visit her father and Diana on the farm, but sometimes, she just needed to get away from everyone. The continual chatter of people talking, planes flying, ground cars roaring, the aggregate noise of modern civilization was just too much for even her sometimes.

Supergirl drifted in silence for nearly a half hour before she was interrupted.

"Supergirl, it's time," the voice said in her ear. It had been Diana. Linda Leigh had been expecting the call. Hell, she thought, she'd expected it for nearly her entire life. And now the waiting was over.

She turned in space and began to accelerate toward Earth. Her invulnerable skin and aura would protect her as she plunged deep into the atmosphere. In scarcely two minutes time, she was soaring high above the eastern United States coast. She was headed to Gotham City. She was headed to Wayne Manor.

She was headed to the deathbed of her uncle Bruce.

* * *

Bruce Wayne had witnessed his parents' savage death at the hands of a common street thug at an early age. The Wayne family owned the land on which most of Gotham City was built. That fortune enabled him to finance his own private crusade against crime. A lifetime of work was now coming to an end.

Those that knew him had expected Bruce to have died years ago. They expected him to eventually die at the hands of one of his foes.

But he'd outlived them. He'd outlived the Joker, the Riddler, Bane, Ivy, Two-Face, Croc, and the rest. The only one he hadn't outlived was Ra's Al Ghul. And that was only because Ra's had access to the Lazarus Pit and could rise from the dead as he had so many times before.

Bruce had even outlived most of his allies. He'd outlived Alfred, his faithful butler and surrogate father. He'd outlived Dick Grayson, his first partner. He'd taken Dick under his wing after the young acrobat had lost his own parents. The first of many young protégés, Dick had been the first Robin and later Nightwing, and even later, Redbird.

Bruce had outlived his dear friend James Gordon, for so many years commissioner of Gotham City's police department. He'd outlived Barbara Gordon, another of his protégés. He'd outlived Jason and Tim and Cassandra, the other protégés that had come after Dick. He'd outlived his other allies, like Dinah Lance, the Black Canary, and Helena Bertinelli, the first Huntress.

His wife, Selina Kyle Wayne, had proceeded him to the grave by nearly twenty years.

About the only people he hadn't outlived had been Clark and Diana. But then, he was a super-charged solar-powered alien and she was an immortal Amazon.

Now, surrounded by his daughter, Helena, "granddaughter" Mari, and his friends Clark and Diana, Bruce Wayne was breathing his last.

* * *

Linda Leigh tried to remember the first time she'd come to Wayne Manor. She found that after nearly 60 years, she couldn't. Her parents had no doubt brought her here to "Uncle" Bruce's sometime in her first year of life.

As she touched down lightly in the garden behind the mansion, she did remember the summer she spent here. She'd been 16 at the time. Uncle Bruce had taught her a lot that summer.

Linda Leigh could still hear his voice, as if it had been just yesterday. In her first lesson with Bruce, he'd rushed her unexpectedly, pulled her hair and tossed her on her butt. As she sat crying on the floor of the gymnasium, she had heard him tell her, "Your father can teach you how to use your Kryptonian powers. Diana can teach you about weapons and about honor. But I'm here to teach you how to survive. First lesson: expect the unexpected. Second lesson: your opponents won't always fight honorably."

Those lessons were hard won that summer. And they'd served her well in the years since.

Supergirl took off the air mask and tank. She steeled herself for the task at hand. She'd witnessed so much death over her long years. She was still smarting from her mother's death nearly a decade before. She didn't know how she'd deal with the death of the one man that she respected and loved more than anyone. More than anyone expect for her own father, of course.

The mansion was quiet as she opened the French doors and walked into the vast living room. She assumed the rest were upstairs, in Bruce's room.

She floated up the stairs, her toes dangling scant inches above the edges of the stairs.

At the doorway to Bruce's bedroom, she paused and took a deep breath. She glanced in the mirror on the other side of the hallway. It showed a tall, strong woman. Broad shoulders, short blonde hair. A sky blue skinsuit with a large "S" symbol on the chest. A red "S" bordered by a red pentagon with yellow highlights--the same symbol her father wore on his costume. The mirror also showed a woman that looked barely thirty--although she was much older.

Long life ran in the family. Her father was nearly ninety and only had the tinest bit of grey at his temples.

The mirror also showed that she'd been crying and hadn't realized it. She wiped her eyes and put on a stern face. Another deep breath and then Linda Leigh knocked quietly on the door.

The door opened a moment later. It was her father, Clark Kent. He looked tired, she thought. It wasn't easy watching your dearest friend die.

Clark motioned for her to enter. He didn't say anything.

As she walked into the room, she saw Diana. In an earlier time, Diana had been known as Wonder Woman. Now, she was simply Linda Leigh's "aunt" and her father's girlfriend.

It had taken her father nearly seven years to learn to deal with his wife's death. With all his other friends now gone, he'd eventually turned to Diana for the comfort and understanding she could provide. Being virtually immortal, Diana had lots of experience dealing with friends and loved ones dying.

Linda Leigh just hoped that she could handle it as well as Diana did.

Helena Wayne, Bruce's daughter, was there. She sat beside her father's bed. She was clutching the pendant her mother had given her right before Selina's death so many years ago.

Mari Grayson was standing at the window. As she turned to look at the new arrival, her bright eyes gave away her mixed heritage. She was the daughter of Dick Grayson and Princess Koriand'r of the planet Tamaran. Like her mother, Mari had a mass of thick auburn hair.

"Is that Linda Leigh?" a weak voice said. It came from the frail figure in the bed.

"Yes, Uncle Bruce, it's me," Linda Leigh said softly, choking back the tears that stung her eyes. She moved to the side of the bed opposite Helena.

A hand reached up for her. Even at his advanced age, Bruce's hand felt strong as she took it into her own hands. His hand tightened around hers. He was facing death as fearlessly as he'd faced his foes.

"Linda, honey," he said, his voice weak. "I have something for you."

"Uncle Bruce, you don't have to..."

"I want to return this to you," he said, holding a raggedy teddy bear in his other hand. It had been hidden under the covers beside him. "This is your's, you know."

Linda Leigh couldn't remember the teddy bear from her childhood. She had faint memories of seeing the bear around the mansion during her summer here. She took the bear from Bruce's hand as the tears finally broke free.

"You brought me out of my self-imposed exile," Bruce said, his voice labored. "I don't remember if I ever thanked you for that."

All Linda Leigh could do was fall to her knees and cry. She knelt there for several long minutes, crying and holding her Uncle Bruce's hand. She was scarely aware that Helena was crying also and Mari was attempting to comfort her. Clark and Diana stood vigilante, but helpless, at the foot of the bed.

Between her own sobs, only Linda Leigh's sensitive Kryptonian hearing caught Bruce's last words. His voice was so weak, not even Clark or Diana heard them.

"Mom, Dad, it's me, Bruce."

And Bruce Wayne, the Batman, breathed his last.

* * *

Linda Leigh's next conscious memory was of her father placing his hands on her shoulders and helping her stand.

She leaned on her father's shoulder as he lead her from the room. As they left the house, Linda Leigh heard Diana on the phone in the living room, calling the funeral home.

* * *

The funeral was four days later. Bruce Wayne had been a strong influence on Gotham City for many years. The city officials wanted to do a public service, as did the management team at Wayne Enterprises. But Helena held firm. Her father's wishes were for a private service.

The small group, Linda Leigh, Diana, Clark, Mari and Helena, stood at the gravesite as the non-denominational minister spoke the appropriate words.

Linda Leigh looked around. She'd since cried herself out. She looked at the monument before them. It was on the Wayne family plot, not far from Bruce's parents. The towering stone already had Selina's name engraved on it. Soon, Bruce's would be.

The Wayne family plot was one of the largest private plots in the Gotham City cemetary. Besides Bruce and Selina, and Bruce's parents, Martha and Thomas, some of Bruce's dearest friends were buried here. Mari's father, Dick Grayson, rested a short distance away. Alfred and Jason also shared the plot. The Gordons, Jim, his wife, Sarah, and his adopted daughter, Barbara, while not in the Wayne plot, were a short distance away.

The day was bright and sunny. Linda Leigh thought it appropriate. Bruce spent so much time in the shadows, it seemed right that it was clear and bright on the day he was laid to rest.

A childhood memory sprang unbidden into Linda Leigh's mind. She remembered a time when she was only nine or ten. She'd just found out that Streaky, her favorite of the cats her grandparents kept around the farm, had died.

She remembered her mother giving her a poem about the Rainbow Bridge. Although it had been many years, Linda Leigh could still remember the poem:

"Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

"When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

"All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

"They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

"You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

"Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together...."

In the years since, Linda Leigh had developed a bit more pragmatic attitude to life and death. But at the time, the poem and the thoughts behind it helped her deal with her pet's passing.

Linda Leigh felt a tear run down her cheek. I guess I'm not all cried out after all, she thought to herself.

Remembering the childhood poem caused her to picture her Uncle Bruce. She knew that he'd never owned a pet, but in her mind's eye, she saw him walking across the field headed to the Rainbow Bridge. He was strong and confident, as he'd been in her earliest memories. He was wearing slacks and a blazer, not the dark costume he had worn so much.

At the bridge stood Selina and his parents, and all of his friends--Linda Leigh pictured them all in their prime. Even Barbara was walking; although Linda Leigh was too young to have known Barbara Gordon before her spinal injury.

Arriving at the bridge, Bruce kissed his mother and his wife and hugged his father, Alfred, and Dick.

And then all of his family and friends embraced Bruce and the entire group walked across the bridge.

Comforted by this thought, Linda Leigh decided she could deal with Bruce's passing better than she'd have thought.

* * *

A couple months later, Helena called Linda Leigh and asked her to visit at the mansion.

When Linda Leigh arrived, there was a moving van outside.

"What's going on?" she asked Helena.

"There are too many memories here," her friend said.

Linda Leigh nodded. She understood. She'd felt the same way about the farm when her grandparents had passed away and the townhouse in Metropolis when her mom had passed away.

Momentarily, she wondered if she'd feel the same way about flying when, some far distant day, her father died. She enjoyed so many fond memories of the two of them soaring through the air, high above the clouds.

"I'm moving into a condo in the city. It'll be closer to the office...you know..." Helena now had the sole responsibility of running the vast Wayne Enterprises.

"I know," Linda Leigh said.

The two women chatted and drank a cup of tea on the terrace overlooking the garden.

"The tea's not the same without Alfred, is it?" Helena said.

Linda Leigh could tell by the tone of her voice that Helena was feeling melancholy and nostalgic.

"I've never cared much for tea," Linda Leigh admitted. "But I loved Alfred's chocolate chip cookies."

"Yeah," Helena agreed. "I'd surprised I ever fit into the costume with his cooking." She patted her now middle-aged thighs. "But, then, you never had that problem, did you?" she laughed.

It was probably the first time she's laughed in months, Linda Leigh thought.

The supervisor of the moving crew tentatively stepped on to the terrace. "We're all done, Ms Wayne."

"Thank you, Carl. I'll be downtown later."

"Yes, Ms Wayne," he said and left.

Linda Leigh waited a few minutes. She eventually heard the moving van pull out of the driveway. She turned to Helena. "So, what did you need?"

"Come on," Helena said, getting up and heading into the mansion.

Once inside, Helena lead Linda Leigh into the den. There, she opened the face of the grandfather clock and set the hands to 11:10. The hidden latch behind the clock clicked open.

With practiced grace, Helena swung the clock aside to reveal a hidden passage.

The two women stepped lightly down the stairs. At various points along the way, Helena stopped to punch codes into innocent looking numeric pads. Linda Leigh could see the mechanisms behind the walls. Failure to put in the right codes would result in three-inch steel doors at both ends of the passage slamming shut and knockout gas flooding the passage.

At the bottom of the stairway, they walked out into a massive cave.

"I've decided to seal this off. It's a part of the past. It needs to be buried...just like..." Helena started to choke up.

Linda Leigh held her friend tight and waited patiently.

After a couple minutes, Helena reasserted her self-control and wiped her eyes.

She pointed at a large steel door. "The mechanism is apparently jammed," she explained. "There's no way to close it."

Using her x-ray vision, Linda Leigh studied the door. It was thirty feet tall and nearly as wide. It sat off to one side of the cave. When slid into place, it would effectively block the entire cave from the mansion above.

"If I close it, how do we get out of here?"

"There are still the passages to the external entrances. They're rigged with explosives. After you leave the cave, I can trigger them remotely," Helena explained.

"After *I* leave? What about you?" Surely Helena didn't want to be left here..., Linda Leigh thought.

Helena laughed again, nervously, "Oh, don't worry about me. I'll go back up the stairs first. And I'll trigger the steel doors up there too."

"Okay," Linda said. She took off her jacket and flexed her arms to make sure her blouse allowed enough room to move.

"I'll see you upstairs," Helena said, heading back up the stairs.

"Okay. I'll be up in a minute or two."

After Helena left, Linda waited until she heard no footsteps on the stairs. Deciding that Helena was safely in the mansion, she approached the door.

Digging her fingers into the frame of the door, she tugged at it. Nothing. She braced her feet on the floor and pushed harder. The door slowly began to move. The immovable object eventually yielded to the solar-powered Kryptonian muscles of the strongest woman on Earth.

It took Linda Leigh a full minute to move the door into it's closed position. The grating of metal against metal had been tremendous and left her ears ringing. She was comforted that no one else on the planet had the strength to open it.

She looked around. The cave was dark; only a few lights were on. She could hear bats far away in some distant chamber. All of the trophies and equipment sat still. The cave was as dead as its former master.

Linda started to leave. She was going to simply fly up the main entrance; the one Batman had used for the car.

As she hovered over the polished stone floor of the cave, she realized that closing the cave permanently was a fitting tribute to the work Bruce had accomplished. Gotham City was now one of the safest cities in the world. It had been years since crime had ran rampant as it had in those early years.

The cave and Batman were no longer needed.

Linda Leigh wiped a final tear from her eye and unleashed her heat vision.

In the stone floor, she burned away the single word "Goodbye" and then turned and left the cave.

Within seconds of Linda Leigh having exited the hidden entrance of the cave, Helena had triggered the explosives and a dull THUMP was heard as the main and auxiliary entrances were closed by tons of collapsing limestone.

Linda Leigh turned in the sky and headed back to the mansion. She tried, unsuccessfully, to tell herself that it was the wind in her face that was causing her eyes to sting.

* * *

End


End file.
